As, Always In Your Service
by mysticwryter
Summary: Hermione has been ridiculed by Severus Snape and has been pulled for cleaning for a while now. She writes a letter describing her treatement to the Head Mistress. What she doesn't realize is Snape has been trying to help her. I'm terrible with summaries!


**Hello Again! Came across another idea. I've been reading some Harry Potter fanfics dealing with Snape and Hermione. I got an idea into my head and this is how it played out. Please rate and review. Plus "Hesitate" by Stone Sour has been in my head for a while now and I can't get it out. The emotion within the song is in this one-shot. Hope you like it!  
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** I don't own Harry Potter or any characters used in this story  
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**Prologue:**

**I'm going to give you a sort-of update as to why these "letters" were written. Hermione has been in detention with Professor Snape for sometime and and she feels that he's punishing her for doing nothing of the sort. She is at her wit's end and decides to write a letter regarding her treatment during her detentions. We get a perspective from the student and one from the professor himself. These explanations are given to Professor McGonnagal so that something could be done regarding these "detentions". We find out not only is Hermione feeling mis-treated as a student and as a young woman but why Professor Snape feels that Hermione needs this treatment in order to better herself.**

* * *

_Professor:_

_I do not know who to write in order to seek help as I've tried everything imaginable to get anything out of this. I can't keep myself doing this horrendous routine every single day. _

_I walked into this class on time and sit in my assigned seat everyday, book out, parchment, ink and quill at the ready. I have my book out with the precise chapter which will be discussed. I follow the instructions Professor Snape to the 'T' yet I'm the one getting detentions. If I even breathe wrong, "Detention, Ms. Granger." I hear it in my dreams every night, waking me from my long-awaited slumber. I do not have a life since I've been in detention in Professor Snape's classroom for 3 hours every night, excluding weekends. Why must I be troubled and constantly detached from my studies and my social life just because one man decides that he finds me repulsive, lacking, and calls me names. "The know-it-all" he states to the classroom, followed by little bits of laughter from Draco and his gang of hooligans. I work hard for what I want and yet it's not recognized. "Not enough" or "Lacking anything useful" as it would say on my papers. I re-read them and approach Professor Snape, hundreds of times but he just looks away, ignoring my constant objections of his grading._

_Sometimes I think that he just hates me because I'm a mugblood. He being a half-blood, why show so much hatred to me? I can't help that I'm a great witch with no personal background of any magical ancestors. I'm sorry that I seem so inadequate to you to your teachings and what you want to make of me. I work diligently as my detention is served at 4:00. "Clean the cabinets, sweet the floor, polish the wood working." I do everything he asks and yet he says it's not good enough. I work for 3 hours, to the point that my skin is peeling from the chemicals and drying from the water. My hands bleed every night after countless healing charms I may put onto them. I cry constantly in the cabinets making sure that every stain, dust bunny is swept up and perfect. He just watches me, making comments about how I'm working or how I should be doing something. I try not to cry in his presence but sometimes the tears just flow on their own without my knowledge. He calls me weak for crying for cleaning. "Do you cry over something that is just a small thing to do?" He asks me that every night as I slave away, cleaning his already cleaned classroom._

_I want to have a decent dinner, not where I'm savaging for food from the house elves. They gripe that I should have been at the Great Hall when it was served. How can I be when I'm a damn slave to Snape? I can't keep doing this anymore. That's why I've approached you, Professor McGonagall about the treatment I've been receiving from Professor Snape._

_When I'm in class as well, he stares at me. At times I catch him and he sends this deranged, maniacal look at me. At times it terrifies me but mostly it just infuriates me. Why causes him to stare at me when all he thinks of me is just some little maid to clean his classroom five days a week? Do I give him so sort of pleasure out of my tired presence? I keep dozing off in class from lack of sleeping and yet I can't help myself from drifting off into the slumber I yearn for. Why must he punish me for something that for one I can't control sometimes and two for the smallest infractions that would by pass any other professor in the school? I've tried to talk to him about the constant detentions I receive but all I get is a distant look and no concerns on his face. He is so hard to read at times, Professor._

_He walks into his classroom, gliding his way up the isle and up to his podium. He turns quickly, allowing his billowing cloak to flow right behind him and perfectly stops at his right side. He leaves the aroma of clove and spearmint and carbon as he walks by. It use to twist my stomach but yet it has began to grow on me. He will lecture and then finally come back to me and make me a sore thumb. I hear the jeering of other students, laughing quietly to their friends as my head hangs low for the rest of the time._

_I don't make eye contact with him anymore as he stands near me and puts me down. The solemn vow of un-ending words: "Detention Ms. Granger." The way he says it now sounds like a lullaby of what's to come: on my knees scrubbing floors that do not need to be scrubbed. I just do as he tells me now; I have no perseverance for anything else. I just do what I'm told and hopefully the next 3 hours will pass by so that I can at least try to get studying in for the rest of my classes._

_Please see that there's something to be done about this. I feel that with failing my other classes do to his constant nagging of cleaning his already pristine room, that I will soon lack any integrity as a student._

_Hermione Granger_

Professor McGonnagall set her glasses down onto her desk and stared in utter shock as the volume of the letter. She shook her head and slammed a piece of parchment on the desk. She thought that after allt his time that somehow the girl would have known what she had done and would never do something in her professor's classroom. What felt more of shock to anything is that Snape, the quiet one, was a mere masochist who thought pleasure in someone's pain. Minerva shook her head slowly as she grabbed her wand from her sleeve.

" _Scribio" _she said with a quiet voice.

The wand stood at attention waiting for it's master to say the words that were needed to be written. The feathered pen danced on the paper from right to left quickly as the words in find cursive appeared onto the parchment. With the feverish emotion that Minerva felt, the pen rushed faster through the parchment. The strokes were sharp, making the paper hiss and screech as the needle pressed down. The wand wrote faster and faster as the emotion of rage soon began to plague the Head Mistresses mind.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door which then an envelope soon was pushed under her door. The wand stopped abruptly and Minerva straightened her posture to look at the envelope. She manuvered her wand and the enveloped floated into the air, heading toward the cherry finish top of the desk.

"_Aperire," _she commanded and the envelope ripped, revealing parchment. She unfolded it carefully and read the scripture. She heard Severus' voice as she read along the small print.

* * *

_Professor McGonnagall,_

_It has come to my attention that you feel that I've been mistreating Ms. Granger while in detention in my classroom. As from your letter it is so it seems that I'm torturing the child with constant errands and chores that are repeated and shouldn't be. Madam, these detentions that I server to Ms. Granger are in well bounds as to why I give them. Reason being as they have been so consistent for the past few week is because Ms. Granger's lack of knowledge as to why I server her such detentions for her repeated offenses._

_I've noticed that within some degree that Ms. Granger seems to be the type of seventeen year old who strives for perfection; perfect classes, perfect grades; perfect penmanship. I have noticed that she has put too much thought into the idea of what is to be called perfect._

_I've been watching Ms. Granger for the past few months as she has been apprenticing me with the ideas and concepts of being a Potion's mistress. While observing Ms. Granger in class, she's putting a lot of thought into the idea which has ballooned into an obsession. I , for one, do not take pleasure with seeing some engorged into a topic that would only seem rather tedious to others. I also noted that with her dedication, which is very honored to me, she has no time for anything else. So with that said and watching her at work, I've decided to change her routine a little with an idea of some, hard work. When I approached Ms. Granger about detention which at first I believed was to be regarding daydreaming in class. I told her that daydreaming is not allowed in this classroom and is only to be observed in her own quarters. At that point, I delivered the verdict. Her reaction was rather hurting, I see, but it was needed for her to step out of the academics and into another way of life. At that point after class, I told Ms. Granger that with the idea of her being so kept up in her studying and work, that I've decided to get her indulged into another type of work. That's when I decided that she will need to clean up the entire class room; mopping floors, cleaning the potions cabinet and so forth._

_What I'm trying to prove to her Minerva, is that with constant tedious work comes the boredom and the loss of actual socialized company. I see this child everyday with her nose in a book. I for one was the same but I did find time to be able to roam the grounds or play chess. I can't stand to watch one of my students get lost in her own work. With what she wants to do being a Potions Mistress, she doesn't have the capacity to understand the repetition of such duties. With that, I'm saving from ending a bright career that she has longed for. I do not want to discourage Ms. Granger if she decided to go forth with being a Potions Mistress._

_I have noticed points in her detention where she is starting to break. That's the whole point into assigning her detentions. I want her to break; feel an emotion for once that doesn't concern with any academics. At one point I saw her crying in the potion's cabinet. It took a lot for me to stand there and watch her face swollen with sadness as she worked. All I wanted to do Minerva, was to comfort her in any way that I could but this lesson doesn't concern with comforting or consoling someone. As I've stated it was to prove a point. I wanted to break her._

_With her responding to you with a letter, it has shown me that she has broken and that I believe she would like to socalize again. It is unfortunate that she responded this way but it still shows that my experiment with Ms. Granger was a success. I hope that you can understand in my reasoning as to why I did what I did. I'm proud to see that she has finally accepted that she can't have her academics be pushed first than her own life. She's a young woman with so many opportunities awaiting her. I don't want her to end up like me; scolded and hated for what and who I am. I'm Severus Snape, the wicked potions master. That title will die with me due the reputation that others have bestowed upon me._

_I do care for Ms. Granger, no doubt. Sometimes, Minerva, desperate measure are need to be made reality in order to break what could be a severe habit that would pull her away from the world she loves already. I do apologize for such harsh decisions and with that said, her detentions will end as of tomorrow for which she will serve the last. I intend to let Ms. Granger know of my plans as to why it has been so long and the lying at which I kept her in detention._

_As always in your service,_

_Severus._

Minerva, sat back in her chair and re-read the words that Severus had just written. She looked up and stared at her door.

"Severus, sometimes what I think you do to Ms. Granger is so cruel. In this case, though, you did this because you care for her. You didn't want her to have a future of nothing but work. I applaud you sir for such determination and the apology will be for Ms. Granger, not me." She folded up the paper and threw it into the fire. She stood as she saw the parchment spark and then burn with black smoke.

* * *

Hermione came toward the Potions door; 4:00 detention. She hesitated before she knocked but heard a familiar voice boom through the door.

"Ms. Granger. You are on time, enter."

She entered very slowly and closed the door with a slight shove. She stood in the shadows, not wanting Snape to see her eyes, red and swollen from crying. She knew that the letter she written to the Head Mistress would not do any good as Hermione felt that she already lost this battle.

"Come, Ms. Granger. I need to have a word with you," Snape said as he sat up at his desk. He pushed aside any papers blocking his view toward the door where Hermione stood, in the darkness. She took a deep breath and proceeded through where the darkness would soon not protect her. Severus' heart dropped as he saw his apprentice, pale and worn. Her hair was matted down and her clothes were all wrinkled and askew. The tinge he felt in his chest made him rise from his chair. The look of concern was soon replaced with a stern as Hermione looked up at her professor.

"Ms. Granger, it has come to my attention that you have been working very hard at keeping this room in such a manner which you consider, clean. I for one do not see in your perspective. To me, it's still a mess in which I hope that you will correct. Professor McGonnagall has informed that that you have written her a letter regarding the detentions I have assigned you with. Is this true?" Snape crossed his arms and he leaned against the front of his desk.

Hermione's heart started to race. He knew about the letter. He knew about everything that she said and how she felt. Her eyes went wide but yet she couldn't look into those onyx orbs. She felt so ashamed for what she had done but it was the only way for someone to hear her cries.

"Yes, sir. I did write that letter." she answered in a somber some voice, quiet and brittle.

"Well then, Ms. Granger. Do you often find me offensive to you and should don you with a maid's uniform as you are on your hands and knees with a scrub brush?" Snape asked with a more forceful tone. The booming of his voice, made Hermoine start to twich.

"No, sir. But I do wish to know as to why I have to keep doing what an elf can do in it's spare time."

"Don't back talk to me!" retorted Snape. He approached her quickly and forced her chin up to look into her eyes. Those eyes how he had miss seeing the love and compassion was fading and soon it was replaced with sadness and ever more hurt. "What did you say to me, Ms. Granger?"

Hermione couldn't shake the urge to slap him. The anger brought within her shown vibrant in her eyes. She couldn't keep it inside anymore.

"I said I AM NOT YOUR MAID WHOM OF WHICH YOU CAN JUST THROW ON THE GROUND AND EXPECT ORDERS FROM YOU! I AM NOT A DOG SO DON'T TREAT ME AS SUCH AS YOU WATCH ME WITH NON-CARING EYES. YOU ARE A DESPICABLE MAN WHO HAS NO COMMON DECENCY TO EVER SHOW ANY TYPE OF CARE OF REMORSE OR EVEN SHOW SYMPATHY AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE! YOU EXPECT ME TO RE-CLEAN EVERYTHING AFTER I'VE SCRUBBED, POLISHED, WASHED, CARED TO. I'VE TAKEN ENOUGH OF YOUR STUPID AND PATHETIC ERRANDS AND CHORES! I DO NOT WISH TO EVER HAVE TO SEE ANOTHER SCRUB BRUSH OR MOP OR WHATEVER THAT IS NEEDED TO CLEAN AGAIN! DO YOU HEAR ME THIS TIME PROFESSOR?"

Hermione gasped as she realized the extent of her words had hit Snape hard. Her weight gave way and she fell upon her knees. The tears welled in her eyes and she began to sob. Snape looked down onto the floor and saw her, shaking and sobbing violently. Snape couldn't keep doing this to her. He cared for her so much that he only saw as this being the only way to stop her from going insane. Snape slowly bent down to her and took her into her arms. She felt into them, and continue to sob into Snape's chest. She wrapped her arms around him slowly but soon squeezed his size. Snape closed his eyes as he tried to fight back the tears that ached to be released. He stroked her hair, softly.

"Finally, Ms. Granger. You broke away from the entire occupation of you studying. I couldn't let you continue on with so much work that I had to do something. Yes it is unorthodox as to what I've done but I felt it was the only way for you to understand. My dear, I'm so sorry for ever hurting you and I hope that you can be able to enjoy life before you took the apprenticeship. I can't keep watching you staring into a book that which you have no meaning of. I wanted the Hermione Granger I had before anything like this began. I want the girl who laughed with her friends, who would walk the ground with her head held high. I want that back in you." He hugged her tightly and closed his eyes as a single tear fell onto her brown curls. He lowered his head and softly kissed her held her close and cooed her until her violent sobbing resided.

"So, all this time, you did this because you thought you were going to lose me as a student and also as a person?" she asked, wiping the tears on her sleeve.

"Yes. The last thing I need to see is one of my student become a drone to academics. The part of find out what your career is, is to enjoy it. Get out of that book and watch me. I need to see your face and watch from another perspective rather than pages of a book which you have difficulty understanding." Snape explained. Hermione looked up and smiled. Snape felt the warmth in his stomach reach his heart and the smile radiated off of his pale face. He hugged his young apprentice again and helped her to her feet.

"Am I serving any more detentions, professor?" she asked as he walked her to the door.

"Goodness, child. You never can take a hint can you? What did I just say to you not only 5 minutes ago?" Snape hissed as he jolted his door open. Hermione smiled and walked toward the hallway. She turned quickly back and kissed her professor on the cheek. Her lips met his cold skin and she closed his eyes and bathed in the warmth of her. She looked into his face and saw him smile within his eyes.

"Thank you, professor," she said sweetly and walked down the hallway toward the Great Hall.

He watched her leave, holding his cheek in his left hand, the cheek that he felt her kiss; her affection to him. Quietly, he spoke to the walls as she began to skip, letting her hair bounce in the sunlight.

"As always in your service, Hermione."

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Ok...*whew* It's done. I thought that I was going to run into a dead-end with this story. My brain is wrecked and can't think of anything else, lol. Please rate and review. To the ones that review my stories, thank you so much; the ones who makes my stories favorites, thank you so much more. The ones who consider me a favorite author, there's not enough thank yous. This story was just something random.


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